When does marriage begin in the eyes of God? With so many traditions and rituals attached to the process of getting married when does it truly start?
When Does Marriage Begin In God’s Eyes?
You cannot be married in your heart or be spiritually married.
“I want to quickly declare on where marriage doesn’t begin in most countries today. One, not when only the couple says so. You cannot be married in your hearts or be spiritually married. Two, not when only the family says so. Though family consent should always be desired and sought for, it is not essential for marriage. Three, not when only the Church says so.”
Topics & Timestamps
0:00 – When does marriage begin in God’s eyes
0:32 – When marriage does not begin
1:15 – Are non-christian marriages valid?
1:40 – Officers of state are servants of God
2:05 – Marriage and church blessing
Top Quotes: When Does Marriage Begin In God’s Eyes?
“You cannot be married in your heart or be spiritually married.”
“Though family consent should always be desired and sought for it is not essential for marriage.”
“God gifted the institution of marriage to all humanity that would come through Adam & Eve, not just Jews and Christians.”
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Transcript
When Does Marriage Begin In God’s Eyes
Marriage begins in God’s eyes when the constitutionally established and widely recognised authority of a defined region joins the couple. Now this authority changes with time and location. There are a lot of countries today with democratically elected government but another time in history was a monarchy, town elders etc. The authorities often seed this right to government representatives today but other times used to be to families.
When Marriage Does Not Begin
That said, I want to quickly declare on where marriage doesn’t begin in most countries today. One, not when only the couple says so. You cannot be married in your hearts or be spiritually married. Two, not when only the family says so. Though family consent should always be desired and sought for, it is not essential for marriage. Three, not when only the Church says so.
You cannot be married in your heart or be spiritually married.
Why? Now first of all, just in a practical sense in neither of those cases will the couple need to file for a divorce if either the guy or lady they are say, they are no longer interested. Secondly, you won’t be able to apply for a joint account in most banks nor be successful with any couple type visa applications up for the embassies without marriage certificate. And they can’t be issued in any of those three scenarios I just pointed out.
Though family consent should always be desired and sought for it is not essential for marriage.
Are Non-Christian Marriages Valid?
And then third, will non-Christian marriages be invalid if marriages can only really begin in Church? See, marriage in the Bible was given to all people. Remember that Adam and Eve, the first humans were representing all of humanity. So, when they got married, God was gifting the institution to all humanity that will come through them not just Jews and Christians. And the way this happens is through recognised government acting as servants of God.
God gifted the institution of marriage to all humanity that would come through Adam & eve, not just Jews and Christians.
Officers Of State Are Servants Of God
See, three times in Romans 13:4-6 the offices of the state not pastors and priests are referred to as God’s servants when dealing with matters of the state. Though not explicitly mentioned, marriage does fall under this category. So, when a registrar is joining a couple at a marriage registry, they are acting as a servant of God because he or she is a servant of the state. If a pastor or priest licensed by the state joins people within the Church, they’ll be acting as servants of the state through their church.
Marriage And Church Blessing
However, what the church uniquely provides is not church joining but church blessing in the same way it does when we dedicate a new baby, a child. So, once again marriage in Gods eyes begins when a constitutionally established and widely recognised authority of a defines region joins the couple and no where else.
